Simulation of disk- and band-like voids in dusty plasma systems

Abstract

The minimum-energy configurations of systems of multispecies charged grains of different mass and charge with an interaction potential including long-range repulsive as well as short-range attractive components are studied by molecular dynamics simulation. The grains are also subject to a radial drag force and a quadratic confining potential. It is found that central as well as band-like void regions separating grains of different species can exist as well as coexist, depending on the species parameters. The results are consistent with the horizontal cross-sections of the structures found in a recent experiment on self-organization of chemically synthesizing grains [Huang Chin. Phys. Lett. 21, 121 (2004)]. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.